Cold Beet Soup (Khaladnik)
халаднік khaladnikSay it: khah-LAHD-neek
Khaladnik is served during Belarus's warmest weather, when beets, cucumbers, and early potatoes are at their best. The bowl arrives deeply chilled, with a creamy-tart kefir base, a vivid pink tint, and a fresh snap from cucumber, scallion, and dill. Grated egg gives body, while cooked new potatoes make the soup substantial enough for a full meal. Since nothing is cooked once the components are combined—only the potatoes and eggs are boiled beforehand—the dish comes together without last-minute heat. It is a forgiving, cooling option for a hot day, and the seasoning can be adjusted right before serving.
Cold Beet Soup (Khaladnik)
халаднік, khaladnik
Pronounced khah-LAHD-neek
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Level
- Easy
Also nut-free.
Allergens: contains milk, egg. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Method
Wash the new potatoes; cut any larger than a walnut in half. Place them in a pot, add cold water to cover, and heat to a boil. Simmer until a knife enters easily, 12–15 minutes. Drain, then leave to cool completely.
While the potatoes cook, put the eggs in a separate pot and cover them with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 9 minutes so the yolks set firmly. Move the eggs to ice water, peel them, then finely grate or mash two eggs. Slice the other two eggs in half lengthwise and keep them for serving.
Put the beets, cucumbers, green onions, dill, grated eggs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well until the mixture is evenly combined and vivid pink.
Fold in the cooled potatoes. Add the cold kefir and stir gently until all ingredients are coated and the soup has one even pink color. Taste, then correct the salt, pepper, or lemon juice as needed.
Cover the bowl and chill for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours, allowing the flavors to blend and the soup to become very cold.
For garnish, slice the extra green onion stems into thin strips and soak them in ice water for 10 minutes so they curl. Drain before use.
Ladle the soup into chilled bowls. Set one egg half in each portion, add the drained onion curls and more dill, and finish with black pepper if desired.
Regional variant: Sorrel Khaladnik (khaladnik sa shchaŭem)
Use about 5 oz (150 g) fresh sorrel leaves in place of the beets. Rinse and chop the sorrel, then cook it in a small amount of water just until it collapses. Cool it, then purée or chop it finely. Mix it into the kefir base along with the cucumbers, eggs, potatoes, and herbs, then balance with lemon juice and salt. The finished soup is pale green and has a sharper tartness.
Cook's notes
- Chill the kefir and use beets that are already cooked to save time; if the soup thickens while standing, loosen it with a little cold water or kefir.
- For the most vivid hue, keep one spoonful of grated beet aside and stir it in right before serving.
- Kefir brands differ in acidity, so add only part of the lemon juice first and taste before adding the rest.
Serve with
Serve with dark rye bread and more boiled new potatoes; sour cream can be offered on the side.
Make ahead and storage
Refrigerate for up to 8–10 hours. Stir well before serving and add a splash of cold kefir or water if the potatoes have absorbed liquid.
